Outline, Mental States, and Drawings by a Blind Woman

Abstract

Outline pictures depict surface edges, and via extensions from this base they can represent sensory and psychological referents. Outline drawings standing for edges of surfaces are relatively ancient, and lines for actions, sounds, and psychological states quite recent—mostly little more than a century. The novel finding here is that lines for psychological states of several kinds are invented by a blind woman, EW, who began making raised-line drawings as an adult. Notably, she invented novel devices representing thoughts and emotional impressions. If lines depict surface edges literally, they depict motion, sensory effects, impressions, and thoughts metaphorically.